Easy Beef Stir Fry Recipe

Beef Stir Fry is loaded with mushrooms, zucchini, and bell peppers. The easy 3-ingredient beef stir fry sauce adds amazing Asian BBQ flavor. Serve this with a side of steamy white rice and you’ll satisfy any craving for takeout.

Just like Chicken Stir Fry, or Shrimp Fried Rice, this is a one-pan, easy dinner that is better than going out.

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Beef Stir Fry Recipe

Stir fry is the ultimate quick dinner. This recipe is cooked in just 20 minutes. High-heat cooking results in tender and juicy beef caramelized with the beef stir fry sauce. This recipe moves fast so be sure to have all of your ingredients sliced up and ready to go before you fire up the stove.

I learned how to make this recipe on a blogging retreat hosted by Camp Chef. One of their chefs was cooking for everyone Hibachi style and when I inquired about the sauce, he didn’t hesitate to share it with me. It shocked me that it could be so simple with just 3 ingredients, but so tasty! I couldn’t wait to recreate this easy recipe in my backyard. I have since used a variation for this sauce to make a Ground Beef Stir Fry, and it worked amazingly well.

What Kind of Beef is Used for Stir Fry?

Good news: you don’t need the most expensive cut of beef for tender beef stir fry. Top sirloin is our favorite beef for stir fry because it is relatively inexpensive and produces juicy results). These are generally the best beef cuts for stir fry:

• Top Sirloin Steak (or go-to)
• Chuck Steak
• Ribeye
• Tri-tip
• Flank Steak

How do you Ensure Tender Beef?

The right cut (see recommendations above) is critical. Also, be sure to:

• Thinly Slice your beef
• Cut steak against the grain
• Sear over high heat (sealing in the juices)
• Don’t crowd the pan which cools the pan quickly and results in chewy beef

The Best Beef Stir Fry Sauce

A great stir fry is all in the sauce (which is why our Beef and Broccoli is so popular)! The ingredients for this beef stir fry sauce will surprise you and you probably already have them in the refrigerator. The combination is sweet, savory and smoky. It caramelizes on the beef for a tantalizing Asian BBQ flavor.

Keep in mind if you use a sweet BBQ sauce, the sauce will be considerably sweeter which is why we opted to use an original BBQ sauce. Also, use Tamari soy sauce to make this a gluten-free beef stir fry!

Which Vegetables are Best for Stir Fry?

You can change up the vegetables for variety or to use up what you have on hand. Veggies are important for bulking up a stir fry and making it a meal in one pan. The best vegetables for stir fry cook fast when thinly sliced. You can substitute with any of these:

• Bell Peppers
• Mushrooms
• Zucchini (green or yellow squash)
• Snap peas
• Carrots (sliced into matchsticks)
• Onion
• Asparagus
• Broccoli cut into florets

How to Make Stir-Fry Sauce

1. Stir together 3 Tbsp BBQ sauce, 3 Tbsp real maple syrup and 2 Tbsp soy sauce. Set aside.

How to Make Beef Stir Fry

1. Heat a large heavy pan or wok over high heat with 1 Tbsp oil. Add thinly sliced beef to the hot pan in a single layer and sauté undisturbed 2-3 mins. Stir and sauté 2 min or until nearly cooked through. Season lightly with salt and pepper, add ginger and garlic and sauté 1 minute.

2. Drizzle beef with sauce to taste (I added 5 Tbsp) and stir-fry another 1 min or until fully cooked through. Remove beef to a plate and cover to keep warm. Wipe the pan clean with a damp paper towel.

3. Place the same pan over high heat and add 1 Tbsp oil. Once hot, add mushrooms, season lightly with salt and pepper and stir fry until golden (5 min) then remove mushrooms to the plate with beef.

4. Add 1 Tbsp oil, sliced onion and vegetables and stir fry 8 minutes or until softened and golden.

5. Combine vegetables with beef and mushrooms, drizzle in more sauce to taste (I added another 2 Tbsp) and stir fry just until hot.

Which Oil is Best for Stir Fry?

Since you are cooking over high heat, use an oil with a high smoke point. Our favorite is extra light olive oil (we use it for everything from baking to stir-fries because it is neutral in flavor and has a high smoke point). Other good options include canola oil, grape-seed oil, avocado oil or peanut oil.

You’ll find this Beef Stir Fry recipe on your list of recipes to repeat. It’s especially fun to cook it over a flat cooktop outdoors, Hibachi style!

More Asian Copycat Recipes

We love to recreate our favorite restaurant copycat recipes because it is so easy to make them at home and is often healthier. From Fresh Spring Rolls to crispy Egg Rolls and all kinds of stir-fry recipes, I hope you find some new favorites here.

• Kung Pao Chicken
• General Tso’s Chicken
• Vegetable Stir Fry
• Egg Roll in a Bowl
• Chicken Chow Mein
• Teriyaki Meatballs